Holi Commu

Dis tinctions of class, caste, co lour and creed are aJJ russolved as participant~ indulge in goodhumoured play.

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1s now preparing for the o n set of wtnter, in lnrua it is spring. In the north at lease, the weather is currently p leasant, with tl1e chili of the lase three montl1s gradually recerung i aturc adorns herself with brightly coloured fl ora, and the humans unabashedly imitate : it is Holi, the spring festi val of colours

In the m ost popular form of celebration of this nor tl1ern Inruan festival, revelers smear coloured powder on each othe r's faces, or throw them at each ocher in gay abandon. There's p lenty of laughs and loud merriment; and of course, food and drink abound, as in aJJ Hindu festivities.

Often the festivities get b o isterous, such as w hen people bring o u t water pistols, buckets of colou red \Vacer, or clunk each ocher in t he pool.

There are many legends and mytl1s behind the tradition of Holi, bur these are rarely remembered in co ntemporary times. Ask India's much -adver tised "youthfol" citizenry abour tl1e si,gnificance of tl1e festival, and they will probably say something vague tl1at includes the terms Holika, burning, Krishna, G opi kas aod if pressed fortl1er, will find refuge in Google or Wikiperua. But they will tell you Holi is a feelg ood festival - a mega party in which the main element is to have fon; and chat it is a celebration of equality, a celebra tion of life itself.

And of co urse tl1 ey will be right.

Typically, rules are lax, in this festival. An yth ing goes (\X!i chin

Ii.mies, of course) B1m1 na 1t1ano is a common Holi utterance.

Boys and girls, who trarutionally kee p their di stance, freely mingle Harmless, playful flirting is aliowed.

Eve n tl1e intoxicating bbm~g is permitted: made from the leaves and buds of the cannabis saliva (indica), this concoction is cons Lm1ed as a drink, or eaten in sweets or pakoms. In shorr, at I-I o li, usuaU y ' unacceptable' be haviour becomes acceptable, if only for a clay Breaking the rules is sanctioned.

And it is aJJ taken in a spiri t o f good o ld - fashio ned fun. Perhaps it is in this spirit tl1at we find the true significance of the festiva l. Caugh t up in t he drudgery of regimented daily lives, i t is therapeucic to ' 'let go" once in a while, kic k chose heel s up, have a g reat big beliy laugh. (Gen -Y readers, those ancient Indian sage- type dudes were o n to something )

Holi is not a unique concept. There are celebrations in o th er cultures tha t invo lve a similar "letting go". In tl1e Greek town of Galaxiru, for example, at the beginning of the Eastern Orthodox Lent, people celebrate by tl1rowing Aour at ead1 other, sometimes coloured flour. (Flour is a symbol of life). They also paint their faces in charcoal, and dance o n the streets.

A pparently, in this churchsanctioned festiva l, people are a!Jowed to indulge, just ahead o f the festival of Lent which is marked by self-denial, ie fasting. Foods that can.not be eaten at Lene, sud1 as mea t, dairy and fat, are especially consumed.

The Bo livar province of Ec uad o r celebrates the annual Carnival festival, in which peop le gatl1er in the town square and spray each ocher with coloured d yes, water or flo ur. Children shoot water- filled balloo n s at each other (a favou rite H o li occurrence). A nd just like Holi, this is al so a festival of joy, with food and drink and sin gi n g and dancing.

The Thai ew Year festival Song Kran is also marked w ith flour and water throwing - the festivities seem markedl y similar co our O\Vn Holi.

The Tibetan New Year is al so welcomed with the tl,rowing of fl ou r: flour is see n as a sy mb ol o f good luck

We h o pe you indulged a bit at Holi th is year, dear reader Hop e you lee go, and had so me fun!

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